Differences in support

Around a quarter of working parents use the right each year, but support varies according to sector. Only 17% of mums who work in Business and Consulting, for instance, said they felt supported. However, mums who work in the creative arts and design industry receive the most support, with 37% saying their boss lets them go without any question.

Snow days

Another cause of absence is snow days – on average children in the UK have two days off school for extreme weather conditions, meaning parents often have to stay at home to look after them. Some 34% of women said they are allowed to work from home in such cases, but 66% do not have this option. Some 91% of respondents said they felt their employer was not supportive in such cases.

The survey also found that over a quarter [26%] of working mums hate their manager and 23% don’t get paid sick days when they themselves get ill.